Snow chaos hits the Cynon Valley

THE Cynon Valley was praying for a thaw today as the freezing conditions and snowfalls brought chaos to the area for a second week.

THE Cynon Valley was praying for a thaw today as the freezing conditions and snowfalls brought chaos to the area for a second week.

Fresh snow yesterday, on top of Friday’s fall of up to 5.5 inches, brought more school closures, rush-hour mayhem, and treacherous conditions for pedestrians and motorists.

Despite an optimistic start to the week, with most of the county’s schools able to re-open on Monday after a weekend of back-breaking gritting, shovelling and ploughing, fewer than 20 schools in the entire county borough were able to open their doors on Tuesday.

Some schools were also forced to close after initially opening – among them Aberdare Girls’ School, who updated both the school’s and council’s websites to say worsening weather had affected their decision.

Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s website crashed temporarily during the early morning as thousands of parents tried to stay up-to-date.

And despite the last minute closures which forced many parents to stay at home, main roads throughout and surrounding the valleys were jam-packed with commuters battling the elements to get to work.

Public transport services also reported disruptions and delays.

Traders were hit badly – with one Aberdare market trader admitting she’d not served a single customer by noon yesterday.

Kathryn Sullivan, co-owner of John Parker Jewellers, said: “Last Friday, I couldn’t get in because I was snowed in, on Saturday I had about three customers, and today, Tuesday, we are really struggling again.

“I haven’t served a single customer and looking around the market, it’s exactly the same – even the bakery stall is complaining and everyone panic-buys bread!”

The Met Office said temperatures were unlikely to climb above 2ºC or 3ºC all week, with a high risk of ice on roads.

Temperatures overnight were expected to dip as low as -6ºC this week.

Prior to Friday’s snowfalls, when the Met Office issued a rare Red Alert, panic set in.

Tesco in Aberdare was one of the many in South Wales to report barren shelves and queues for produce.

Shopper Rhiannon Griffiths, 38, said: “It was a real scrum – people were grabbing loaves and milk and dashing to the tills.”

Tesco’s bakery store worked around the clock to meet demand.

Shopper Brenda O’Neil, 47, said: “A lot of people were waiting. I bet the supermarkets love a snow forecast, they make a fortune.”

Refuse collections were hit, with available staff redeployed to grit and clear roads, and help re-stock the borough’s 1,100 grit bins. Normal services are not expected to resume until this Friday at the earliest.

Public transport also ground to a halt throughout much of the area, and the local authority issued a number of appeals to motorists, whose abandoned vehicles were preventing snow ploughs clearing the roads.

The Bwlch, Maerdy and Rhigos Mountain Roads were also closed from 10pm on Thursday, although some defiant drivers were reported to have ignored the warnings put in place, and taken the risky decision to drive along the routes.

But the weather also brought a sense of community spirit.

Cwm Taf Health Board said around 50 staff members slept at the area’s hospitals, including Royal Glamorgan, Prince Charles, and Ysbyty Cwm Rhondda, while a number of doctors checked in to nearby hotels to ensure vital procedures could go ahead.

“It should be noted that this is completely voluntary and is a testament to their commitment to patients.”

South Wales Police and Rhondda Cynon Taf Council also reported similar tales of dedication.

A police spokesman said: “I know of one officer who set out to work with a flask and a sleeping bag because he knew, while he would get to work, he was unlikely to get back home again. Others came in on their days off.”

Chief Superintendent Kevin O’Neill, added: “The effort made by staff to report for duty, and to help their colleagues do the same was phenomenal.”

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